Cauliflower and kale soup

I am a soup lover because is just something that you can make and keep it for few days in the fridge, and for me soups are the perfect dinner with some side dish as sauteed mushrooms or even grilled halloumi.

The best soups in my opinion, are the creamy ones that actually don't have any cream in it, and for this you need to use a mix of several vegetables to give consistence, starchy vegetables or you may choose to use cauliflower that is what I use most of the times.
While using cauliflower as the base of the soup you just need to add another vegetable to give taste to the soup. Cauliflower has a bit of a neutral taste, to not say that is doesn't have any taste at all, so you can play a bit and give the taste that you want.

For most of my soups, if I have the time, I start by roasting the vegetables for around 20 minutes. I found out that this process intensifies the flavour of the vegetables.

This soup beside the amazing texture and flavour, is packed with superfoods as cauliflower and kale. I just love it!!

Ingredients:

• 1 small to medium head of cauliflower 
• 1 cup of leek
• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 garlic cloves
• fresh thyme
• olive oil
• 6 cups vegetable stock (optional) or water
• whole cloves (optional)
• salt and pepper to seasoning 

Let's do it:

• Preheat the oven to 200 C (in a gas oven I put in number 7)
• Cut the cauliflower into florets and prepare also one cup of leek, put them in a ceramic tray and toss them with a generous amount of olive oil and fresh thyme. Roast during 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is a bit golden brown
• After roasting the vegetable, in a large pot place 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the roasted vegetables. Bring it to heat and sauté them just for a bit
• Slowly add the 6 cups of water or vegetable stock (if you are using vegetable stock chose organic ones)
• Add the kale to the pot
• Let it boil and then add salt and pepper to taste
• When the vegetables become soft and tender, pour them to a blender and blend them in maximum speed until it gets creamy. Note that is important to allow the cauliflower and kale to be soft and well cooked in this step as they tend to give a granulated texture if not soft.
• Pour the soup again to the pot, add the 2 whole cloves and heat it again. At this time you can adjust the salt and water amount. If is too thick you may want to add water until reach the desired consistence. Let it boil for about 5 minutes and then turn it off.
• If you like kale chips you can make them while you are preparing the soup. In a baking tray or even using the same ceramic tray that used for roasting vegetables, you can mix kale with olive oil (and I usually put some some sesame seeds). Place it in the oven in 150 C for 5 minutes or until you see that the kale is crispy. Pay attention to not roast.
• Pour the soup into bowls and serve with kale chips and pine nuts, or sliced almonds or both :) 

Time of preparation: It took me less than 1 hour counting with the 20 minutes of roasting the vegetables. 

Quantity: It serves easily 4 to 5 people, depending on the size of the cauliflower. 

My soundtrack today comes from France. Once in Paris, while walking towards Montmartre there was a band making some gigs in front of a caffe, and their sound was amazing, happy and able to cheer you up even in a rainy day. Their name is Zaz and later I found out that they had already one cd and I believe that they have already a second one. 

Choose the music that better fits your soul today, let your mind flow and wonder.

Enjoy it and have fun :)

Namaste